Mark Trusock
Mark Trusock is a judge for the 17th Circuit Court in Kent County, Michigan. He was first elected to this position on November 7, 2006. He was subsequently re-elected in 2012 and 2018. His current six-year term ends on January 1, 2025.[1][2]
Trusock was appointed Chief Judge on November 12, 2021.[3]
Rulings and decisions from the bench
COVID-19
In April 2020, the Kent County Health Department wrote an order giving physicians and nurse practitioners the ability to involuntarily detain those showing symptoms of the COVID-19 coronavirus. The order allows medical personnel the ability to unilaterally instigate a detainment on individuals for up to 24 hours. Trusock signed the petition from the health department on April 6, thus enabling it to go into effect.[4]
The City of Grand Rapids is in Kent County. The Grand Rapids City Attorney Office issued a memo written by Grand Rapids Assistant Attorney Kristen Rewa on April 8, 2020, saying, "It is my legal opinion that this order is unlawful, illegal, and unenforceable...I strongly recommend that the Grand Rapids Police Department not take any action on the basis of this order.”[4]
Kent County Corporate Counsel Linda Howell defended Trusock's action, while saying she expected it to be rescinded the week of April 2020. Her view is that the order was justified by a 1978 Public Health Code law that “allows a Health Officer to protect public health by requiring a person with a communicable disease to take or refrain from certain actions that could spread the disease.” [5]
David Kallman of the Great Lakes Justice Center argued that the order is unconstitutional. Kallman wrote, "Judge Trusock’s order is called a general warrant that illegally delegates to county health officials and the police his sole authority to decide if a person should be detained. The fear and paranoia over the current pandemic must not be permitted to allow government authorities to run roughshod over the constitutional rights of everyone".[5]
Background
Education
Trusock received his undergraduate degree from Michigan Technological University in 1974. He worked for an insurance company from 1975 to 1984, and obtained a Chartered Life Underwriter certification in 1983. Trusock received his law degree from the Thomas M. Cooley Law School in 1985. He worked as an attorney in private practice for the firm of Lannen and Trusock from 1985 through 2006, when he was first elected as a judge. [6]
Career
Trusock began his legal career as a partner of Lannen and Trusock, where he worked for 21 years following his graduation from law school. He has also served as a civil mediator in the 17th Circuit Court. He became a judge of the Circuit Court in 2007.[6][2]
Elections
2018
Trusock was re-elected in 2018. He ran unopposed, and received 165,193 votes.[7]
2012
Trusock was re-elected in 2012. He ran unopposed, and received 133,294 votes.[8]
2006
Trusock was first elected in 2006 to what was then a newly-created judgeship. He ran against Helen Brinkman. She received 91,645 votes (49.34%) and he received 94,081 (50.66%).[9]
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Michigan 2006 Election Results: 17th Circuit Court
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 AccessKent, Kent County, Michigan: Judges
- ↑ Michigan Supreme Court , "ADM File No. 2021-46" accessed July 20, 2022
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Michigan Capitol Confidential, "In A Michigan County, A Fever Could Land You In Jail If You Don’t Self-Quarantine", April 17, 2020
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Michigan Live, "Kent County judge defends order allowing emergency detainments for coronavirus reasons", April 17, 2020
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Michigan 17th Circuit Court 2017 Annual Report: Judges (Scroll to p.5)
- ↑ Michigan Department of State, 2018 General Election Results: 17th Circuit Court
- ↑ Michigan Department of State, 2012 General Election Results: 17th Circuit Court
- ↑ Michigan Department of State, 2006 General Election Results: 17th Circuit Court
